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So I work in delivery, and I am trying to describe the act (verb I guess) of fitting parcels in the back of a van in the most efficient way possible. I thought about using the word "Tessellation" in a verb like way "We tessellated the packages as best we could". I also thought about using the classic "We Tetrised... tetrissed?" the packages as best we could. Does anyone know a good word I can use?

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    I am thinking along the lines of compact, close-packed, and pack down.
    – jxh
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 20:07
  • When I used to work on farms in the school holidays we used to efficiently load hay bales on to a trailer. We called it 'stacking'.
    – Nigel J
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 21:34

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Tetris can be indeed used as a verb for this meaning. It is not in the big dictionaries yet but it has a definition in urbandictionary and Wiktionary. Additionally, Merriam-Webster has an article about tetris being used as a verb. Here is a relevant excerpt:

The game known as Tetris has pervaded the culture to such an extent that it has inspired occasional, creative use of Tetris as a verb, one meaning something along the lines of "to arrange the parts of (something) to fit efficiently within a limited space":

The use of Tetris as a verb is still too rare for dictionary entry, but it has nonetheless become an option as a word for clever spatial arrangement. And you can even prefix Tetris if you need a verb for removing something from said configuration:

I'd gone grocery shopping the day before, and the crowded kitchen shelves were Tetrised with Betty's favorites: mac and cheese, Cheerios, cinnamon grahams.
Amy Shearn, The Mermaid of Brooklyn, 2013

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/tetris-video-game-verb

(emphasis mine, italicized the example)

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  • You can consider arrange as a common verb but it lacks the precise meaning. You might need to add additional wording or an adverb.
    – ermanen
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 18:21
  • 'We're not able to include it in the dictionary, but we can give a long spiel about it and you can use it' [paraphrased] disinclines me to use M-W.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Feb 8, 2018 at 20:23
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You can use sardine as a verb and that will probably match the definition you’re going for. “We sardined the packages into the truck”

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